o
space left for it. It is enough, and a great thing too, to say that
he emerged triumphant, reduced his wife into very good condition, and
obtained the due mastery of her estates, and lordship of the household.

Refreshed and recruited by the home campaign, and having now a double
base for future operations--York city with the fosse of Ouse in the
east, and Pretorian Hill, Derbyshire, westward--Mordacks returned, with
a smack of lip more dry than amontilladissimo, to the strict embrace of
business. So far as the needs of the body were concerned, he might have
done handsomely without any business; but having no flesh fit to weigh
against his mind, he gave preference to the latter. Now the essence
of his nature was to take strong views; not hastily--if he could help
it--nor through narrow aspect of prejudice, but with power of insight
(right or wrong), and stern fixity thereafter. He had kept his opinion
about Sir Duncan Yordas much longer than usual pending, being struck
with the fame of the man, and his manner, and generous impulsive nature.
All these he still admired, but felt that the mind was far too hasty,
and, to put it in his own strong way, Sir Duncan (whatever he might be
in India) had been but a fool in England. Why had he cast away his claim
on Scargate, and foiled the factor's own pet scheme for a great triumph
over the lawyers? And why condemn his only son, when found with such
skill and at heavy expense, without even hearing both sides of the tale?
Last, but not least, what induced him to marry, when amply old enough
to know better, a girl who might be well enough in her way, but had no
family estate to bring, was shrewdly suspected of a cutting tongue, and
had more than once been anything but polite to Geoffrey Mordacks?

Although this gentleman was not a lawyer, and indeed bore a tyrannous
hate against that gentle and most precious class, he shared the
solicitor's just abhorrence of the word "farewell," when addressed to
him by any one of good substance. He resolved that his attentions should
not cease, though undervalued for the moment, but should be continued
to the son and heir--whose remainder in tail subsisted still, though it
might be hard to substantiate--and when his cousin Lancelot should come
into possession, he might find a certain factor to grapple him. Mr.
Mordacks hated Lancelot, and had carried out his banishment with intense
enjoyment, holding him as in a wrench-hammer all the way, silenc